As I’ve mentioned previously, my ideal chicken soup is comprised of tender pieces of chicken floating in a golden, clear broth; and golden, clear broth is not what you get when you boil bones (that would be stock, which is great, but not what we’re going for here). Instead of subjecting a chicken carcass to a violently bubbling bath, gently poach a whole chicken for a gorgeous broth and perfectly cooked meat to boot.

Want to give your creamy soup a smoky, savory edge? Blend in a couple of strips of cooked bacon. Want to make a soup with a distinct bacon flavor? Blend in four (or more) strips of cooked bacon. Both are good options, depending on how much you like bacon.

Vegans, the lactose intolerant, and other dairy avoiders need not deprive themselves of thick, creamy vegetable soups. There are several ways you can give your soup luscious body, none of which involve cream. The easiest is to purée the vegetables themselves, along with a generous amount of fat, but you can supplement with mashed potatoes (either leftover or dehydrated flakes), beans, or pectin-heavy leeks.

This dead simple and garlicky potato soup is made with a humble bag of hash browns, which is very convenient, since hash browns come pre-washed, pre-peeled, and pre-prepped.

Mayonnaise is the secret ingredient to this creamy, perfectly emulsified, surprisingly mellow garlic soup. If slurping store-bought mayo squicks you out, you can always make your own.

Up your protein consumption by poaching an egg directly in your favorite convenience soup, be it a simple instant miso (one of my favorite breakfasts) or some late-night instant ramen.

Speaking of eggs, leftover whites make beautiful little ribbons when drizzled into a simmering broth. Use a restaurant-style squeeze bottle for greater control.

Repurposing wonton wrappers as noodles is perhaps the easiest and most charming way you can prepare them. They float and flutter in bowl of broth, and have a pleasingly bouncy texture. Toss them in your soup in the last minute, or boil and strain them to make a cold noodle bowl. (Not exactly appropriate for “soup season,” but you can file it away for the summer months.)

Jordan Calhoun, our beloved editor-in-chief, does not consider soup to be a proper meal, at least not as it comes in the can. To bulk up a sad, pathetic soup, Jordan makes two cans, but strains one of them to make a super soup with more stuff:

“I just open one can and pour it into the pot; but then, on the second can, strain out the broth (by just holding the lid in place and turning the can upside down) and keeping what’s left,” he explained to me over Slack.

What you do with the leftover broth is up to you, but I’d save it for a batch of beans.

Soups and stews feel incomplete without a carb by their side, and that carb is usually bread. Bread is good, even great, but should you desire to mix it up, consider supplementing your favorite stew with broken lasagna noodles, which are cheap and substantial, with ruffly edges for your broth to cling to.

This is one of my favorite little recipes. It’s cheap, filling, and packed with way more flavor than anyone would expect it to have. All you need is a can of black eyed peas, some butter, and a couple of canned tomatoes.